Variable Pricing on the New NY Bridge: No More Breaks for Big Trucks

As the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement project sails along, a recent letter in The Journal News called for free crossings for motorists between the off-peak hours from 1 to 5 a.m., to encourage drivers, especially commercial drivers, to travel when there is presumably less congestion.

Second, the existing Tappan Zee Bridge already has a variable tolling plan that provides trucks as much as 50 percent off the normal toll:

Source: NYSTA Incentive Pricing Toll Schedules

In fact, there is variable tolling for commercial E-ZPass tag holders at several of the Thruway’s fixed toll barriers:

Source: NYSTA Schedule of E-ZPass Tolls at Fixed Toll Barriers

However, there currently is no similar variable pricing for cash tolls:

Source: NYSTA Fixed Barrier Cash Toll Rates

Based on traffic data showing the relative numbers of all vehicles on the road throughout a given day, there seems to be some amount of incentive for commercial traffic to avoid using the bridge during peak hours already in place:

But the impact is limited. For example, large truck (5H) traffic is lower during the peak but not by much.

A better plan would be to implement all-electronic tolling, thereby extending the variable pricing framework to all commercial traffic. This would provide a real financial incentive for moving operations to off-peak hours and would help to achieve the author’s desired result — but without giving vehicles that cause the most damage a free ride. NYSTA officials should also consider going further and making all vehicles – including cars – subject to variable tolling. This tactic is not without precedent, both as noted above and even on other New York-area crossings.

The best first step in a strategy to reduce congestion on the New NY Bridge and in the I-287 Corridor, however, would be for the State and Thruway Authority to implement the Governor’s Mass Transit Task Force recommendations and analyze the implementation of dedicated bus lanes running the lengths of the proposed routes.

Traffic congestion will only be alleviated through variable pricing and alternatives to driving. Giving free rides for big trucks is not a solution, but rather a step in the wrong direction, and one that puts the burden on all New York taxpayers.

At those hours there may be ‘excess capacity’ and free-flow for all traffic but the people of NY are providing a valued service to these private vendors. They travel at those hours not because it is toll-cheap but their scheduled deliveries are premised on crossing at that time. We could just close the bridge at night, as is done with various mass transit systems. This service demands a payment.